Medical Coding Studies

Diploma Program

As a medical coder you are responsible for managing and classifying medical data by assigning a specialized code to each diagnosis and procedure found in a patient's medical record. These codes designate data such as diseases, operations, diagnostic procedures, and therapies. The information is reported to other health care professionals and insurance companies. Skilled coders know medical terminology, standard coding classifications, and medical record keeping software.

Students who begin in the Medical Coding Diploma Program and choose to continue their education may transfer into the Health Information Management (HIM) Program and apply the credit-hours earned for the diploma toward completion of an Associate in Applied Science Degree. That degree prepares students with the competencies necessary to be successful in areas pertaining to the clinical data and financial management of patient health records.

Academically ready students can apply to the program following the guidelines of the Allied Health competitive admission process. Interested applicants should review the information provided here and contact their program advisor for application requirements.

What You Can Do

In this program, you will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare you for positions such as:

A medical coder in ambulatory care, rehabilitation centers, drug and alcohol facilities, local health departments, third-party payers, pharmaceutical companies, and acute care facilities, as well as other health care related organizations such as insurance companies, consulting firms, and technology companies

What You Will Learn

Program Graduate Competencies

The Program Graduate Competencies listed below identify the major learning goals related to your specific program of study and identify the knowledge and skills you will have when you graduate to be successful in your chosen field.

Interpret medical record documentation in order to identify data for medical coding.

Apply knowledge of medical sciences, medical terminology, current coding guidelines, and reimbursement guidelines to assign accurate codes to patient diagnoses and procedures in health record documentation.